I know of several motorcyclists, all very serious riders, who rarely fire up their bikes unless there is a major riding event or tour at hand. The thought of hopping on the bike to perform mundane tasks such as stopping by the bank or picking up a loaf of bread apparently doesn’t cross their minds, and as such their bikes often sit for long periods of time without being used.

There are probably several general categories of motorcyclists who don’t integrate riding into their everyday lives and, while I’m not judging them, I can’t understand why any bike owner wouldn’t look for more opportunities to ride. All it takes to turn a motorcycle into a multi-use utility vehicle is some luggage capacity, which touring bikes already have. For that matter, even a backpack will work when riding a sport or dual-purpose bike.

Aside from the fun of being on a motorcycle, there are other benefits as well, the first of which is the fuel savings. Most mid-size bikes easily get around fifty miles per gallon or more, and the savings can turn into a significant amount of money over the course of a year if the motorcycle is used whenever possible for errands.

There are mechanical benefits for the vehicle as well, as it is generally better for an engine to be run regularly than to sit for long periods of time. Although I change my oil at the end of each riding season and make sure my gas tanks are topped off and treated with fuel stabilizer, I always try to ride each bike at least once a month.

Even when the thermometer is hovering around freezing, a short trip to the store or coffee shop isn’t out of the question so long as the roads are free of salt and ice.

Just out of curiosity, how many other RoadRUNNER readers use their bikes to run errands, and if not, why?